Displaying items by tag: Andrew Hoggard

Dairy farmers are set to benefit from the radical sweeping changes the Government is planning to make to the regulations that form part of the Resource Management Act (RMA).

Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says the consenting experience facing some high-country Canterbury sheep and beef farms is "bloody tragic" and vindicates the Government's move to abolish the Resource Management Act (RMA).

OPINION: For many farmers, the biggest regulatory challenge they face is the myriad things that the Resource Management Act throws up.

There's been a positive response to the Government's latest move to make freshwater farm plans more practical and affordable.

Avian flu getting into New Zealand's poultry industry is the biosecurity threat that is most worrying for Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.

OPINION: As soon as RNZ realised MP Andrew Hoggard's sister worked for Dairy Companies Association of NZ (DCANZ) and was, shock horror, lobbying government on behalf of its members, it wasted no time accusing him of not managing conflicts of interests.

OPINION: Last month marked the beginning of the political year, beginning with Waitangi Day.

OPINION: Pre-Parliament, I was involved with the International Dairy Federation. I attended firstly business meetings at the annual conference, then later, board meetings as a sitting board member.

While many MPs have been busy taking holidays in maybe exotic places, for Andrew Hoggard it's back to his old job as a dairy farmer during the so-called 'summer break'.

A steep learning curve, a very busy year and thank heavens for tractor therapy. That's how Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard described his first year in Parliament to reporter Peter Burke at his dairy farm in the Manawatu during the holiday break.